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The Film

WOMEN IN BLUES is a documentary celebrating women who sing or play the blues. The film will explore the unique struggles and triumphs that these artists have experienced as women in the world of blues music.

Grana Louise with the crew on set.

UPDATE: We've just added to some of our rewards. You could have the chance to WRITE YOUR OWN INTERVIEW QUESTION for one of the blues women! Check the sidebar for details.

The Story of Women in Blues

In the early 20th century, pioneering blues women such as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Memphis Minnie dominated the blues genre and were instrumental in spreading its popularity. However, from the 1930s onwards the popularity of classic female blues music underwent a decline, giving way to the development of a mainstream blues culture which continues to be distinctly masculine in flavor. Despite a resurgence of female blues performers in recent years, the number of prominent male blues artists occupying the limelight still far outstrips that of blues women.

Blues is a celebration of a way of life which speaks of love, loss, addictions, poverty and desire, and we want to share the experiences of the women who are paving their own way in a genre with a rich history like no other.

The blues women are back and they’re making it their own again. We want to tell their story.

STYLE

The artists will share their stories through a series of interviews, life performance footage, photos, and by walking with them in their day to day lives. These women will share their voices with us as they sing in their studios, a cappella, in harmony and on stage. They will share their joy, pain, trials and tribulations as they explain what it means to sing the blues.

Beyond their art lies the soul of the artist, and we will discover how they use their personal experiences as inspiration to write and perform their music. The women that sing or play the blues are a unique group of individuals that are drawn to a specific type of music. In this documentary -the first of its kind- we will explore why.

Why We Need Your Help

As you can see from the trailer, we've already done a lot work - but there are so many more stories to tell and artists to film!

But we still need to film many others such as DEITRA FARR, LIZ MANDEVILLE, HEATHER CROSSE and many more performing live. The crew and I will also need to film in Australia where Ruthie Foster is playing at the Byron Bay Blues Festival - a show not to be missed. By the end August of 2015 we will finish filming in the U.S. where we'll be catching performers like Susan Tedeschi and Joanna Shaw Taylor light up the stages on their tours along with a host of others. This requires money that we don't have. We need your help to see this project through to the end.

We are asking for donations to equal $25,000.00 or more. That money will see us through the filming process in March and April. If we should receive a greater amount, we'll be able to film the remainder of this film during the months of June, July and August. Anything over that will start to cover music rights, copyrights and post production. We also have a marketing plan that needs to be included in the budget. For now, we're taking it one step at a time. Any contributions will be received with gratitude. We can't make this film without you!

-LISA EISMEN

About The Crew

Director: Lisa Eismen

Lisa Eismen is a writer, director, filmmaker
and musician who "has the blues in her soul" thanks to having grown up surrounded by blues musicians in Chicago.

Her most recent documentary GAME CHANGER which she directed and co-produced with Australian company, Cool White Bunnie Productions,
was selected for festivals including the Australian Indie Gems Film Festival (2014)
and the Dungog Film Festival (2014). She has also directed the music videos
COCOON for Runcible Spoon and LAZY BONES for RogerZand as well as a number of short films.

Director of Photography: Pieter De Vries

Pieter De Vries, ACS, has worked on many
notable and acclaimed productions as a cinematographer, including working with Academy Award-winning Canadian Director, James
Cameron, as topside cinematographer on the large format 3D Imax film, GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS, revisiting the wreck of the Titanic. He has also worked extensively for National Geographic and is the
recipient of many awards for his camera work including the award of DISTINCTION FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY at the AUSTRALIAN CINEMATOGRAPHER’S SOCIETY (ACS)
NATIONAL AWARDS for DEVILS DISEASE, 4, and 3D HALLOWEEN and an AUSTRALIAN FILM
INSTITUTE NOMINATION for 4. He also received an EMMY nomination for his work as a
cinematographer on RAT.

Producer: Steve Jaggi

Steve Jaggi is a producer with extensive experience. He is driven by a passion to tell
uplifting stories which explore the human condition, always aiming to entertain
and inspire. His company, THE STEVE JAGGI COMPANY, has been involved with the
making of a number of successful films such as the recent documentary SKIN DEEP, which
received an Honorable Mention at the Austin Film festival and Melbourne Queer
Film Festival and the music documentary, AND THE BEAT GOES ON, which was an
official selection at the IBIZA FILM FESTIVAL (2009), NOTTING HILL FILM
FESTIVAL(2009) and the BYRON BAY FILM FESTIVAL(2011).

Deitra Farr, Pieter De Vries and me on set at B.L.U.E.S.

Holle Thee Maxwell and crew on set.

Pieter de Vries, not only an accompished DP, but an accomplished musician!

Liz Mandeville and Lisa Eismen on set at Buddy Guy's Legends.

Mz Peachez Williams signing my guitar.

Risks and challenges

Every filmmaker has challenges and obstacles to overcome as they see their project through to the end. The biggest goal we will have to contend with is finding the remaining funding. There will always be setbacks but we will overcome these through knowledge, experience, sheer determination, persistence and skill. As with anything in life, a little luck never hurts.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 15 or more
About $11

Pledge $15 or more and you will receive a FREE download of a song from one of the featured artists, a PERSONAL THANK YOU on our Twitter feed and a FREE downloadable desktop wallpaper of an exclusive blues photo not available to the public (5 to choose from).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 50 or more
About $36

Pledge $50 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed, a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues, a copy of the book/2 CD set "Drop on Down in Florida"(kindly donated by Dust-to-Digital) AND a signed photo from the crew thanking you for your support.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 100 or more
About $73

Pledge $100 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blue-Ray or digital download of the film when completed and a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues and a packet of 25 of your own personalized guitar picks. (10 designs to choose from).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 100 or more
About $73

Pledge $100 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed, a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues, a copy of the book/2 CD set "Drop on Down in Florida" and a packet of 25 of your own personalized guitar picks. (10 designs to choose from).

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 125 or more
About $91

Pledge $125 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed, a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues PLUS you get exclusive access to production stills and production updates not available to the public AND a video Q and A with the Director and Director of Photography as well as a special THANK YOU in the FILM CREDITS.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 250 or more
About $182

WRITE YOUR OWN INTERVIEW QUESTION.

Pledge $250 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed, a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues, exclusive access to production stills and production updates not available to the public AND a special THANK YOU in the FILM CREDITS.

You will also get to write your own interview question to ask one of the featured blues women of your choice (subject to approval). You will get a copy of the full, uncut answer!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 500 or more
About $364

Pledge $500 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed, a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues, a video Q and A with the Director and Director of Photography, exclusive access to production stills and production updates not available to the public AND two FREE TICKETS to one of the artists' events. PLUS you will also get a special THANK YOU in the FILM CREDITS.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 1,000 or more
About $727

Pledge $1000 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed and a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues, exclusive access to production stills and production updates not available to the public, two FREE TICKETS to one of the artists' events and a FREE SUBSCRIPTION to a music magazine. Donors are Blues Matters Magazines (includes two complete compilations with subscription), Living Blues and Back to the Roots. Subscriptions are limited. You will also receive a special THANK YOU in the FILM CREDITS.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 5,000 or more
About $3,637

BECOME AN ASSOCIATE PRODUCER.

Pledge $5000 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed and a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues, exclusive access to production stills and production updates not available to the public, two FREE TICKETS to one of the artists' events, a one year FREE SUBSCRIPTION to a music magazine and an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER film credit.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 8,000 or more
About $5,820

BECOME AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

Pledge $8,000 or more and you will receive a DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download of the film when completed and a signed CD from one of the artists featured in Women in Blues, two FREE TICKETS to one of the artists' events, a one year FREE SUBSCRIPTION to a music magazine, an AUTOGRAPHED GUITAR (by all of the women involved in the film), and an EXECUTIVE PRODUCER film credit.